Situational Irony: Winning the lottery
Atie made a habit of playing the same number at the lottery, namely Martine’s age. But the number was never a lucky one for Atie and she never won anything. Ironically, the only time when the number was lucky was when Sophie left. Around that time, Atie won for the first time at the lottery. The win is bittersweet because it meant that Atie won money but lost Sophie.
Situational Irony: Family Resemblance
When Sophie returns to Haiti, her grandmother and her aunt note how much Brigitte looks like Martine. The situation is ironic because Sophie looks nothing like her relatives and she always felt out of place because of it. Martine had difficulty with Sophie at first because she looked like her rapist, but also does not want to see Brigitte for a long time either; this is ironic because Brigitte does NOT look like the rapist or Sophie but instead looks like Martine.
Situational Irony: Beauty
Sophie goes back to Haiti after she gives birth to her daughter. As a result of the pregnancy, Sophie’s body changed and she was a lot curvier than she was before getting pregnant. Sophie hates the way she looks and thinks she is fat, and loses any confidence she had in herself and her body. Ironically, the vast majority of people around her compliment her and tell her how beautiful she was. Unfortunately, Sophie is not inclined to believe their words is convinced she is horrific looking.
Verbal Irony: Tonton Macoute
The tonton macoutes are menaces to the people of Haiti. Bestowed power by a cruel dictator, they do what they want without any consequences. They strike fear in the hearts of anyone who may look at them the wrong way or accidentally step on their foot, as in Dessalines's case. The irony is that their name means "bogeyman," which is a supernatural—read, not real—figure that torments children. Sure, there is fear there, but ultimately children release the fear when they grow up. Unfortunately, the macoutes are still terrifying to adults, and their ironic name perhaps makes them even more so.
